Gone Forever
by xemmiex
Summary: The ploice officers showed up at our front door. I never could have braced myself for what they were about to tell me. Darry POV R&R please! :
1. Chapter 1

disclamer: The Outsiders is owned by S.E Hinton

"Are you Mr. Darrel Curtis?"

My life was just about to change forever.

"Yes sir" I said to officer standing in front of me.

"I sorry to have to tell you this son… but I'm afraid I have some terrible news."

When police officers say that to you know that what ever came next was never a good thing. I placed my hand on the door knob, and leaned into the frame to help myself prepare myself for what came next.

"Darrel, there was a car crash just outside of town earlier today. There were two bodies in the front seat. They were identified as a Mr. and Mrs. Curtis."

Mum and Dad.


	2. Chapter 2

I grew up alot in that short afternoon. I had to. For myself, the gang, but more for my brothers than anyone else. I had to stay strong for them. With the few hours i had before Two-bit and came by, dropping Soda and Ponyboy off from school I felt like I had aged 10 years.

Sitting on the chair in the living room it felt to me like the minutes were passing by more like years. I dindn't know what else to do. I had to keep my jaw clenched tight so the huge lump in my throat wouldn't choke me. To keep the silly and childish tears from excaping my eyes. The eyes that I had to keep dry for my two little brothers. I was trying to work out how to tell them, but I couldn't concentrate on anything. But in my head I was bawling like a little baby. I had a reason to, my parents just died and they were never coming back.

I was tryning so hard to remember the last thing dad said to me. But I couldn't remember a thing. I tried so desperatly to cling any memory of my parents, anything that would remind me of all like good times we've all had together, but my mind was just blank. The only thing I could think about was how me, Soda, and Ponyboy were now all orphans. It felt like years ago when I dropped my brothers off at school, becuse my parents had to go down town. It felt like it had been years sence I last saw my mom and dad. When really it was only four hours ago.

I jumped up off the chair and stormed into the kitchen. Reality struck me. And it hit hard. This had all actually happend and we were never gonna talk to them, never gonna see them again. We only had eachother now. I slouched down behind the counter and held my head in my hands, digging my finger tips into the sides of my head, and screaming so loud that I almost frogot what had happened. Now all the memories I had of my parents kept coming back. Dad picking me up off the sidewalk when I filpped off my bike and scraped me knees. Taking me home where my mom held me and made it all better. I remembered dad showing me Soda for the first time and mom telling me that her and dad loved me just as much as they did Sodapop. All of a sudden Sodas two years old and were at the hospital to see mom and our newest brother Ponyboy. Pretty soon we're all running around the school playground with a young Steve Randle and Johnny Cade. Dad always picked us up from school and we'd go down the the stables and go see Mickey Mouse, the horse Soda always wanted but we never had enough money to buy him one. Then when we all get home mom has made our favourite, chocolate cake and some chocolate milk to wash it down.

I could hear Two-bit outside howling with laughter as he slamed the car door shut after he got out. I could also make out Soda's light laughter about some joke I hadn't heard. Ponyboy was probely walking behind then in a day dream like usual. I jumped up off the floor, causing me to hit my head off the low counters. I gritted my teeth in pain and shoved my clenched fists deep into my pockets.

Sodapop walked throught the door first, I tried not to picture what his face would look like in a few minutes after I'd taken his whole world and stomped it into the ground. Two-bit follewed after him and slapped him on the back. The Pony wonered in, droping his school off at the door and flopping dwn on the couch. Watching them from the kitchen i realized how young the both still were. How were we ever going to get through this? Whats gonna happen after the funeral when social services says if we can stay together of not, when they find out we have no money or hope left?

"Hey Darry, what's up?" Soda asked.

The laughter has stoped and Sodapop was standing by the counter, staring at me with his big brown eyes that were reckless and anyways so full of life. I tried to say something to him, but nothing came. The lump in the back of my throat just keep getting bigger and bigger. Shutting my eyes for a moment, I took a big breath and tried to relax. But when ever I closed my eyes all I could see was my mom and dad and I couldn't think properly.

"Two-bit.."

"Yeah?" He still had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Thanks for brining them back from school..."

"You want me to go?" He must have seen the look on my face, beacuse for the first time in Two-bit's life he was being serious about something other than beer and blonds.

"Sorry."

Two-bit just shrugged and walked round the back of the couch ruffling Pony's hair and waltzed out the door. After the door closed behind him I turned towards my two brothers and knew there was gonna be no easy way to say this. I loved them to much to have to break their worlds apart like that.

"Soda, sit down." I told him as i walked over to the TV and shut it off, avoiding eye-contact with Ponyboy who was looking at me funny.

"Whats going on Darry?" Sodapop titled his head to the side, his smile now smaller then it was a few minutes ago.

"Sit down." I could hardly breath as I tried to controle myself.

"No... tell me whats wrong." He said stepping closer to me, I could feel his eyes as if they were burning holes in me.

"Please So-"

"NO!" He cut me off. "Tell me whats going on!"

"Sodapop, I'm serious." I said with out trying to loose my temper.

"Just spit it out Darry! What's going on?"

"FOR GOD"S SAKE, JUST SIT DOWN SODAPOP!" I exploed at him.

Soda was struck dumb, he just sat down beside Ponyboy on the couch looking scared. I felt awful. All I wanted to do was hug them and tell them everything was gonna be okay.

"...Darry?..." Pony leaned forward looking up at me with a confused exprection on his face.

Running my hands through my hair, I took a deep breath and knelt down infront of my two younger brothers.

"A cop came by today..." Wow, what a great start Darry. I thought to myself.

"There was a car crash..." I paused. Mum and Dad-"

I couldn't finish. The lump in my throat was to big to talk now. I looked down at my clenched fits that were so tense my knuckles were white.

"Mum and Dad are what Darry?" Soda asked. "Are they in the hospital? What happened to them? Are they gonna be oka-"

"They're dead Soda..." I cut him off. "Mum and Dad are dead."


	3. Chapter 3

Thoses words came out honest, but harsh. I held Sodapop's brown-eyed gaze for a while until he just crumpled right infront of me. The expression changed on his face to shocked and suprised, to hurt and sad as he realized what I had just told them.

Next to him on the couch, Ponyboy sat there motionless. His jaw clenched tight but his green eyes were wide with sadness and the colour had drained from his face. He took in a sharp breath, brining his knees upto his chest and wraping his arms around himself like he could fold into a small enough ball to disapear.

But my attention was still mostly on Soda. He had a horrified look in his big brown eyes. His lips were parted slightly as he shook his head refusing to belive me.

"You'r lying."

"Soda... this isn't something i would lie to yo-" I tried to tell him but he cut me off mid-sentence.

"YOU"R LYRING DARRY!!... just tell me your lying. Please." His breathing was unsteady and I could tell Soda wanted nothing more in the world right now then to tell him I was. But I could never lie to Soda.

Not trusting my voice, I could only shake my head.

"NO!" Sodapop screamed as he punched the arm rest next to him. If it was anyone else tell him this news, I knew very well it wouldn't have been the couch that he had hit. But I felt it all the same anyways.

As his brought his hand away, his eyes welled up with tears and he let out a quiet wimper. _The first brother to break_. I thought.

Suddenly tears were streaming down Sodapop's face and I thought they were never going to stop.

His whole body was shaking. He let himself fall foward into me and buried his face on my sholder and sobbing, clining so tightly to me that I could hardly move. I huged him back while looking back up to see Ponyboy give a couple silent sobs, and then his cheeks were soaked with tears as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer; I don't own _The Outsiders_ S.E. Hinton does.

I cooked dinner that night, but no one ate it. We just sat at the table in a deep silence. Soda was shacking and Ponyboy had silent tears running down his face. I just kept a firm jaw and held them both until they finally seemed to calm down a little bit. I let them go watch some T.V while I cleaned up the dished from supper. I knew they weren't in the mood to watch anything, but I wanted to distract them enough so they could both forget about what had happened for a while. I didn't work.

That night was freezing. I was shivering in my bed despite the extra blankets I had laid on top of my self. I couldn't seep at all, even if I wanted to. I was to busy thinking about the future. I wouldn't be able to go to collage anymore. I've have to get a job so I could take care of Soda and Pony. I'd be paying bills and checking over homework, just like mom and dad use to do. Life was gonna be really different with them gone. They were gone forever and we didn't even get to say goodbye. I missed them so much already and it hadn't even been a day yet. Sodapop and Ponyboy were they only family I had left now, and I would do whatever it took to keep us all together. Even if that meant giving up on my dreams to make that happen. I could deal with that if we were all together.

Giving up on any chance of drifting off to sleep, I through back the covers and walked out of my room. Walking down the hall I felt a cold draft around my legs. I thought one of the gang and come over to crash on the couch and forgot to close the door. I went to go close it and saw Sodapop sitting on the porch steps. He had a cigarette in his hand and I could hear him sniffing from here.

He wiped away his tears as I sat down beside him, trying to hide his quiet sobs but failing. After a couple minutes of silence he finally spoke.

"Darry… why'd they hafto go? Why'd they just leave us like that huh?" He asked, grounding his cigarette into the porch step beside him. His voice was shaky and I could see fresh tears running down his cheeks. I moved closer beside him and through my arm over his shoulder, pulling him in close to me.

"I wish I new little buddy… I really wish I did." He leaned in closer to me, burying his face in my shoulder.

"All I know it I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be there for you and Pony, you can count on it. Got that?" He nodded his head, but I could feel his tears wetting my shirt. I just sat there with my arms around him trying to stop his shacking. When he calmed down some, we stood up and headed inside. Both of us couldn't sleep so we went into the kitchen to get some chocolate cake and milk and brought it to Ponyboys room. When we got to Pony's room, he was thrashing around and sweating. He kept mumbling names I thought sounds like _mom_ and _dad._ He let out a whimper as tears started to poor down his face. Soda rushed to his side and tried waking him up. I put the cake and milk on the nightstand and joined Sodapop on the bed. Rubbing his back trying to calm him down some. Pony was clinging to Soda like his life depended on it. I could hear him sobbing into the base of Soda neck. I felt so helpless. Ponyboy and Soda were hurting and I couldn't do a thing to help them. I wanted to know what had scared Pony so badly and from the look in Soda's eyes he wanted to know to. But when we asked him, just said he didn't remember it and started crying harder. After 20 minutes he had calmed down enough and pushed himself away from Soda. I handed him some cake and a glass of milk, the three of us ate in silence. When we were finished, I got up to leave… but I felt a hand grab my wrist. Turning around I saw Sodapop's big brown eyes looking up at me.

"Stay with us Darry… just for tonight?" I looked down at Ponyboy, he just nodded and moved into the middle of the bed, making room for me. I slid in beside my two baby brothers and through the covers over all of us. I reached my arm over Ponyboys chest and placed it on Soda's shoulder. My brothers were the most important people in the world to me now. I had to look after them, keep them out of trouble. But there's nothing I'd rather do then provide for the remaining family I had.

Our parents deaths were gonna be a tough thing for everyone in the gang to have to go through. But I had a feeling that we were going to come out of everything fine. After all, the only thing we need was each other.

Corny ending… I know. I'm tired don't blame me! J Review and tell me what you think please!!


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